Recycling With Break It Down Austin
I recently found myself staring out of the doorway to my office at a giant stack of boxes and old vinyl banners. They had been staring at me for weeks asking me, in my mind, what was to become of them. The boxes weren’t a problem and were dispatched quickly when I finally sprung into action, but the banners were another matter.
I opened our storage closet to find a quiet place for them to die and unearthed another wealth of vinyl banners that had been collecting dust for years. Another quick look around the office revealed more vinyl banners that had been furtively stashed in closets, left in isolated corners, or hidden behind furniture. See, they’re too big and pricey to just be trash, but once a banner proclaiming, “Welcome to the 2008 _____” has been used, it’s done. But they’re hard to just toss, so they all get…”stored”. Not wanting to store them any longer and feeling awful about the prospect of just tossing out 30 large vinyl banners, I decided to find out if there was anybody that could recycle them.
The local print shops that produce these banners seemed like a good place to start, but turned out to be a pretty fruitless endeavor that yielded no leads. So, I went to the interwebs and a brief search led me to an article about a partnership between a Whole Foods in North Carolina and a local recycling agency called the Barefoot Press. The article was from 2008, but they were definitely recycling vinyl and it seemed like a pretty good possibility that it was still going on. I decided to call the Whole Foods in Austin to see if a similar program had been initiated here.
At Whole Foods, I was eventually channeled to a lovely woman whose name has now disappeared along with the yellow sticky note it was written on. (Sorry for the journalistic oversight.) Anyway, we had a brief conversation where she knew nothing of a program of that nature in Austin but agreed to look into the matter and get back to me with any information she found. I had little hope of hearing back from her. There was really nothing to be gained by her helping me. It turns out I was quite wrong, though. My Whole Foods contact did call back, the next day, and informed me that Whole Foods had recently unloaded some vinyl banners of their own to a new recycling agency called Break It Down Austin (@BreakItDownAustin) and provided me with the contact information for Jeff Paine.
I spoke briefly with Jeff and he agreed to take our vinyl banners and I obliged him. Perhaps this is an overly verbose way to thank Jeff at Break It Down Austin and Whole Foods for their time and efffort, but I wanted to make sure and let everyone know that there is now a place in Austin to recycle your vinyl banners. This is a big deal for us, because we use vinyl banners for all of our events and we hate to create trash if there is another option. So, please take your own used banners to the nice people at Break It Down Austin. Thanks Jeff!
John-Scott Horton
Director of Marketing, Skillpoint Alliance
Statesman Article Highlights Need for Skilled Trades
Workforce chairman: Manufacturing, skilled trades key to Texas economy
Published: 8:41 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012
[This article can be found at: http://www.statesman.com/business/workforce-chairman-manufacturing-skilled-trades-key-to-texas-2128472.html%5D
Manufacturing is the key to Texas’ economic future, but a shortage of skilled workers demands a new emphasis on skilled trades in public schools, several witnesses told state lawmakers Thursday.
“We have steadily de-emphasized vocational and technical training, preferring to pursue a one-size-fits-all approach, which says that everyone should attend a four-year university,” said Tom Pauken, chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission.
Although Texas lost 250,000 manufacturing jobs over the past decade, manufacturing firms are complaining of a shortage of skilled workers, Pauken told the House Committee on Economic and Small Business Development.
The hardest jobs to fill in the U.S. are for skilled trades, Pauken said, citing the 2011 Manpower Group report. He said teaching skilled trades, such as welding, pipefitting and electrical work, in public schools could affect the dropout rate by giving students a chance to train for a good-paying job.
Pauken’s testimony came as the House committee is studying how well Texas has promoted development in its six industry clusters and whether other industries should get special attention.
Those clusters are aerospace and defense; advanced technologies and manufacturing; biotechnology and life sciences; energy; information and computer technology; and petroleum refining and chemical products.
Pauken said Texas has been turning to community colleges to train workers when an employer moves to the state.
“We need to do more than fill in the gaps on an ad hoc basis,” Pauken said. “We must have a long-term plan that begins educating young Texans in skilled trades long before we get a call from an employer telling us that the local labor market isn’t meeting its needs.”
Pauken said public schools should offer more courses in skilled trades and create separate performance tests — one for students who plan to attend college and one for students in skilled trades.
Several representatives of the state’s manufacturing sector echoed Pauken’s testimony.
On another topic, Austin lawyer Pike Powers, an economic development expert, warned that portions of Texas outside the large metro areas are getting left behind.
Powers said the state should ensure that resources, such as high-speed computers at the University of Texas, are shared. He noted that the Texas Advanced Computing Center has three times the capacity of the state’s other public universities combined.
“We’ve got to pay attention to the rest of Texas,” Powers said.
Powers also provided a “Texas Performance Scorecard” by Harvard professor Michael E. Porter, an expert in industry clusters.
It showed that through 2009, Texas was good at job creation and new business formation but needs improvement in productivity and innovation.
Powers said innovation requires quantity, quality and velocity — the ability to transform innovation into new products and services quickly.
Texas is good at the first two, but it’s “very bad” at creating products and services quickly from its innovations, he said.
“That is a major reason why our global competitors seem very close in the rearview mirror,” Powers said.
He suggested that the state should emphasize industry clusters by promoting a dozen regional research parks as public-private partnerships.
He said choosing a cluster is “not central planning, socialism or ‘picking winners.'”
“A cluster is already a proven winner,” Powers said. “A cluster initiative is about doing what you would have done anyway, but being able to achieve it five to 10 times faster.”
lcopelin@statesman.com; 445-3617
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If you agree with what you just read, make sure and visit our Gateway Homepage to find out how Skillpoint Alliance is contributing.
Some Useful Websites from your Friendly CTTC Staff
By James Noblitt, CTTC Site Coordinator
As all of you know, the internet can be a great resource to find information, but sometimes finding what you need can be an overwhelming experience. To help with this I have compiled a list of websites that contains lots of useful tools and information that can be helpful to both the new and experienced internet user. Below are links for various websites that I have selected as well as brief descriptions of these websites. Enjoy!
- http://quintcareers.com – An excellent source of information for job seekers
- http://austin.craigslist.org – Browse job postings, buy or sell items and lots more
- http://www.gcflearnfree.org – Online tutorials on a variety of subjects
- http://powertyping.com – Online typing exercises
- http://www.openoffice.org – Download free software that is compatible with Microsoft office
- http://www.indeed.com – An extensive job posting site
- http://www.ehow.com – “How to” videos and articles on many topics
- http://www.search-cube.com – A fun and visually appealing search engine
- http://free.avg.com/us-en/free-antivirus-download – Free download of basic antivirus software
- http://wikipedia.org – An online encyclopedia
FIRST® Robotics Grant Opportunities
With generous support from Care for Education, an initiative through U.S. FIRST® and the LEGO Foundation, the Technology & Education Executive Council (TEEC) at Skillpoint Alliance is pleased to offer grant opportunities to new FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) teams and new Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL) teams in select areas of Central Texas for the 2011-12 Food Factor Season and 2011-12 Snack Attack Season.
FLL is an international program that introduces children to the fun experience of solving real-world problems by applying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)—with the hope that these young people will pursue higher education and explore STEM careers. As part of an annual tournament season, FLL teams design, build, and program robots to complete tasks, develop a research project and presentation on a real-world challenge scientists face, and learn to work in teams and display gracious professionalism™.
Visit the Central Texas FLL homepage for full details.
Gateway: The Playhouse Project to Display Playhouses at The Domain
Gateway: The Playhouse Project is getting geared up to begin its inaugural year this fall and we’re very excited to announce a partnership with the wonderful and generous team at The Domain. The upscale shopping center in North Austin has agreed to let Skillpoint Alliance showcase the completed playhouses that will be auctioned off at the end of the Gateway: The Playhouse Project program year.
Details for the partnership are still being developed and will be announced upon their completion, but we wanted to show some love right away. Thank you Domain Team!
If you aren’t familiar with The Domain, check out their website at http://www.thedomainaustin.com/.
If you haven’t heard about Gateway: The Playhouse Project, visit the program’s homepage at http://www.skillpointalliance.org/gateway/ThePlayhouseProject.
Don’t forget to check out our other great Gateway programs while you’re there.
15th Annual College and Career Expo Approaching!
Since its inception in 1996, Skillpoint Alliance’s College and Career Expo has grown to serve over 3,000 high school juniors and seniors. Participating students have the opportunity to meet with industry professionals and college recruiters, and they are provided with many resources needed to prepare themselves for career and college readiness.The 2011 College and Career Expo will be Thursday, October 6, 2011, from 9am-1pm at the Palmer Events Center. Mark your calendars!
Students interested in attending college will receive information about college applications, financial aid, and attendance, and a special focus is given to low-income/first generation students. By providing them with resources and information, educators at the College and Career expo give students a boost in college preparations, and get them on the right track to beginning a productive career in the Austin area.
Students also have the opportunity to visit with employers and industry professionals, who serve as career role models by showcasing businesses and services and guiding the interests of student attendees to help them decide on potential career paths they want to take. Industry, government, education, and non-profit representatives are invited to help students explore potential Central Texas career prospects that match their strengths and interests. By starting students on their career paths early, Skillpoint Alliance helps ensure a trained, skilled workforce for the Central Texas businesses of the future.
Sponsors
Skillpoint is excited to be hosting the 15th annual College and Career Expo, and we are still looking for sponsors! Sponsors can sign up by visiting our website, and more information can be found here. We’d also like to thank our primary sponsor, The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, for their continued support of the College and Career Expo. Whether you are a student, educator, or employer, we hope to see you at the Palmer Events Center on October 6, where you can help us build a better Austin workforce.
Gateway Programs
If you are aware of who Skillpoint Alliance is, it is likely that you have heard about our Gateway programs. These rapid employment training programs provide an opportunity for people who need a second chance in the workforce and don’t know where to go or how to get started, whether it be people who made a mistake and spent time in jail, or a mother that never entered the workforce and is looking to do so now. I have been at Skillpoint Alliance for almost 2 years now and of all the great programs and events we are a part of, there is nothing more inspiring than seeing these students and their families at a graduation ceremony, with the realization in front of them that they have begun the process of turning their lives around. It is very emotional and very uplifting. We all need a second chance sometimes and it is an honor to be part of an organization that is there to help provide that opportunity.
Lately, our Gateway programs have been expanding and working overtime, meeting a rising demand for training and rapid employment in today’s workforce. (Note to job seekers: Gateway programs provide training, not job placement–though we do try to help with that too) I would like to use this space today to recognize our Gateway staff for all of their hard work and invite any and all of our friends here in Central Texas to come out and join us for one of the many Gateway graduations taking place this fall. All are welcome.
To find out more about how to join Gateway or to attend a graduation, visit www.skillpointalliance.org/gateway or give our offices a call at (512)323-6773 ext. 123. We’d be more than happy to provide you with the information you seek in regards to these wonderful programs.
2011 Summer Educator Institutes are open for registration now! If you are an educator who wants to connect with Central Texas industry members and discover great new tools and information that will help you prepare your students for the high-demand jobs of our region, then our Educator Institutes are for you. Classes are short, fun, informative, and reasonably priced for educators. Visit our registration page at www.skillpointalliance.org/EducatorInstitutes today to sign up. For more questions, contact Carol Wright at cwright@skillpointalliance.org. We hope to see you there!
Keep Central Texas Strong
Like many organizations, Skillpoint Alliance has been feeling the lingering effects of the economic recession of late. Given our mission, now is the most important time for our organization to be strong and provide the programs and skills that Central Texans need to continue their education and stay viable in the workforce. In light of this, we recently reached out to the community through an event called ‘Keep Central Texas Strong’. This was a fund drive that culminated in a concert at Stubb’s BBQ on Monday, May 9th. It was a great event that allowed us to get together with all of our friends and sponsors while supporting our programs and I believe that everybody had a very good time. We’d like to thank Jonathan Terrell, a.k.a. ‘The Heartache Tycoon’, who provided the musical stylings, as well as all of our friends and sponsors who support our organization–through this event and many others. Special thanks to AMD, who was the top donor of the Keep Central Texas Strong campaign. Thank you all!
To view more information on Keep Central Texas Strong, visit www.skillpointalliance.org/KeepCentralTexasStrong
If you would like to make a donation to Skillpoint Alliance, please visit www.skillpointalliance.org/donate
Jonathan Terrell onstage at Stubb's during Keep Central Texas Strong
Gateway Construction Featured on CNN
Each month, from now until August, the CNN Express is hitting the road with correspondent Tom Foreman, seeking out tales of how people are Building Up America despite the economic hard times.
First stop: Texas. Some economists have predicted that the corridor from Austin to San Antonio is on the leading edge of a nationwide recovery. Tom looks to find out why, chatting with local officials, business owners, and citizens. One featured stop is the Skillpoint Alliance Gateway Construction program at the ACC Riverside campus.
Tom’s Building Up America stories from Texas are featured on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, American Morning, Situation Room, and other shows. In addition, expanded coverage of the trip will be available on CNN.com.
This post has been having technical difficulties, so if the video fails to pop up, you can view it here instead: http://www.youtube.com/user/SkillpointAustin#p/f/15/wxIFfDyYWTY
Partner Post: Girlstart to Graduate First Project IT Girl class!
Girlstart, an Austin non-profit founded in 1997 to empower girls to excel in math, science, and technology, is proud to announce the first Project IT Girl graduation on May 22 from 6 to 9 pm at Austin City Hall.
Project IT Girl is an exclusive program for 60 high school girls throughout Austin, Texas to learn how to change the world through the use of Information Technology! Program participants apply technology to global topics they are passionate about to educate and persuade their peers.
Girlstart has enrolled 60 high school girls for this three year program. Participants remain in the program from their sophomore year of high school through their high school graduation in 2009. All participants are required to attend 120 hours of Girlstart meetings each year for three years and complete evaluation activities. Program meetings are held at Austin Community College campuses and the Girlstart Tech Center.
Year One: Project IT Girl participants created public service announcements to educate their peers about global issues such as “Animal Welfare”, “Teen Suicide, and “AIDS/HIV Awareness.”
Year Two: Project IT Girl participants created educational games using Python to be submitted to the One Laptop per Child for possible distribution to schools around the world!
Year Three: Project IT Girl participants will learn critical leadership skills, serve their community, and prepare for college all while using HTML and CSS to create personal online portfolios showcasing their academic and professional accomplishments. The IT Girls will also participate in a semester-long technology internship, gaining valuable hands-on experience to add to their resumes.
The girls will present their final projects to C3 Presents and Motorola at 6 pm and will graduate at 7:30. The ceremony will be followed by an hors d’oeuvres reception.
To RSVP for this event, please email first and last name to rsvp@girlstart.org with “May 22, 2009” in the subject line.
Parking for this event is free. The entrance to the garage is on Lavaca Street on the east side of City Hall. Upon entering the garage, look for signs directing you to the “public” parking area. Take your parking ticket inside to be validated.
Skillpoint Alliance 